MIAMI, United States. – The authorities of the Island created this Thursday the Cuban Association of People in Situation of Intellectual Disabilities (ACDPI) to “promote inclusive development and ensure the full exercise of the rights of this sector of the Cuban population,” according to the report of the state agency Prensa Latina.
Until now, Cuba had three organizations for people with disabilities ―the Cuban Association of Physical and Motor Disabled (ACLIFIM)the National Association of the Deaf of Cuba (ANSOC) and the National Association of the Blind (ANCI)―, but there was no space dedicated to bringing together people with intellectual disabilities.
During the constitution assembly of the ACDPI, in which the Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Jorge Luis Perdomo and Marta Elena Feitó, Minister of Labor and Social Security, the delegates elected the members of the national board of directors and its executive committee.
At the meeting, Mayelín Oliva was elected as president of the newly created association. In his speech, Oliva revealed that there are around 133,000 people living with intellectual disabilities on the island, which constitutes the largest situation of disability in the country and underlines the need to create and implement public policies, programs and specific projects for this sector. of the population.
Since Fidel Castro came to power, the island’s regime has brought together civil society groups into official organizations with the double intention of controlling them. Then, invoking its Law of Associations, which allows a single organization for each social group or union, it has prevented true civil society from organizing autonomously.
